Hi there,10 yeaes ago,most people doing slalom ad speed sailing,tended to use the seat harness, today i see lots of slalom and racing sailors using the waist harness,is this a matter of comfort and fashion or are the new waist harness's as effective as the traditionel racing 'seat'?

I don't really know what the pro slalom or speed sailors typically use, but I think the majority of the Formula sailors use seat harnesses. I think the most wave and freestyle sailors usually have waist harnesses.

For the rest of us that free sail or occasionally race, we use what we have always used. For me it's a seat harness because I raced long boards for years and now formula. "Hanging" in the harness is good for light wind effeciency, plus it's better for my back than a waist harness.

I am sure there is some logic for the use of a waist harness, but I will let those that use them explain why.

I used to use seat harness for slalom, but now I use the waist harness. The reason I change is now sails are more stable and I used to put a lot of weight in my seat harness for control. Now that this is not a factor I use a waist harness as it is easier to get in and out. Also I will use my seat harness for Formula in a windy day but will use my waist harness for light wind days. It is just a matter of taste and how you set up your equipment.

to me this question is very difficult... rather like what length harness lines do I use ?
the waist harness has come a long way, comfort features, and really good BACK support for anyone who has a lower back issues.

I almost don't remember the seat harness, have one somewhere.
I do think that racers are still using the waist alot, but for the vast most part almost all use the waist.

Try it on in a shop and feel it out. Lots of good... really good ones out there.
me ..on a Naish kiteboard one, best I have had in along line of them.

is it so then that,that it comes down to a matter of taste and comfort?. i'm mostly doing slalom,and have always used the seat harness,i believed this was the one who could help me exploit my weight in the most effective way, But i reckon that if this is right,there wouldnt be so many pics of the top slalom guys using the waist models. I'm aware of the fact that slalom heat's are quite short in time and the pro's spends a lot of time tuning their physiqe, but they would not give away some advantages for comfort or? have to try a waist mod soon when i'm getting a new one,anyone with a tip for a slalom waist harness? one thing is for certain,the low hooked speed seat is great for covering 'the bulky center' in the neoprene

Very interesting topic. Out of my view a waist works really well, when it´s choppy and when you sail on smaller sized Slalom gear. I also prefer the waist, because when I freeride or sail in waves or do freestyle, I always use a waist. The legs feels o free.
Guess it´s perhaps better for light sailors as well. Not sure. I use a T3 with sliding hook.
Many top guys use waist on the PWA tour like Kevin, Ross or Ben. Björn, Antoine or Cyril are always on seat.

Have fun,
Chris

__________________

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Agree wtih Chris. The problem with most ppl trying on waist harness after being on seat ones from day 1, would find it weird as the waist harness tends to ride up the body. But after some time getting used to it, u will find a waist very comfy and maneuverable, and u can put just as much leverage on the sail, it's all in the stance/technique. I used to swear by seat harness, but have converted to waist harness 3 yrs ago... there's no way I am going back to a seat harness now ;-)

well,
I am using both, for slalom seat and for waves or high wind waveboard freeride waist.
I have a small problem with waist as it travels up on my body, but in waves this is notthe problem since you are not hooked that often and you do often hook or unhook --> it is than more easy, faster and kind of sure.

The seat harness, I like on slalom or freeride blasting, since you can have bigger sail, you put the weight on it so that you let your bottom go down and the upper part of your body still is in the best position relatively to the boom (and the harness does not go up on my body). I can sail with my arms streched (so i can hold a bit bigger sails).

I kind of like both of them for different type of sailing. hardly i can say which one is better.

Agree wtih Chris. The problem with most ppl trying on waist harness after being on seat ones from day 1, would find it weird as the waist harness tends to ride up the body.

i think it realy depends on what kinf of waist harness you buy, i know its a tierd cliche, but the newer the better in this case. waist harnesses have great benefited fro the reletively new sport of kiteboarding. since you dont have the option to use a much smaller kite when doing freestyle and such, but you still need the mobility that only a waist harness can provide, they had a problem because the older harnesses did ride up quite a bit. however, in the last couple of years, kiteboarding rapidly evolved forcing the waist harness to do so as well, and so we have the kite waist harnesses of today. since they are designed to work with a kite, which due to the angle of pull that is far sharper then that of a windsurfer, wants to make the harness ride up more, so companies overcame that problem and the new harnesses just dont ride up almost at all. if by any chance they do however, you can spend another 30$ and buy a bar pad which not only eliminates ride up and the barr rolling up completely, it is also way more comfy. with the technology going into waist harnesses today, its almost unfair to compare the new ones to the origininal ones.
p.s. i also used a seat for a while for blasting and such, but i just bought a new 07 dakine pyro waist harness, and absolutely love it!!